Cost of Raising a Child Calculator
Estimate the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 by income tier and region, based on inflation-adjusted USDA data (excludes college). Runs in your browser.
Estimated cost to raise a child
- Total, birth to age 17
- $297,619
- Average per year
- $16,534
- Average per month
- $1,378
Based on the USDA's "Expenditures on Children by Families" report (2017, using 2015 data) for a married two-child household, birth through age 17, excluding college costs, inflation-adjusted to roughly today and scaled by income tier and region. The USDA discontinued the report, so this is an inflation-adjusted estimate, not a current official figure. Actual costs vary widely with childcare, housing, and choices.
About this tool
The most-cited estimate for what it costs to raise a child comes from the USDA's report 'Expenditures on Children by Families,' which tracked spending on housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation, clothing, and more from birth through age 17 (notably excluding college). Its widely quoted figure was about $233,000 for a middle-income married couple — using 2015 data. This calculator takes that USDA baseline, scales it by income tier and US region the way the USDA did, and adjusts for inflation to bring it closer to today's dollars, then breaks the total into yearly and monthly averages. Two honesty notes built in: the USDA discontinued the report, so this is an inflation-adjusted estimate rather than a current official number; and it excludes college, which can add substantially. Real costs vary enormously with childcare arrangements, housing market, health needs, and personal choices, so treat this as a planning ballpark. Everything runs in your browser.
How to use it
- Select your household income tier.
- Select your US region.
- Read the estimated total cost to age 18, plus yearly and monthly averages.
- Add college costs separately, and adjust for your own childcare and housing situation.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does this estimate come from?
- The USDA's "Expenditures on Children by Families" report (2017 edition, 2015 data), which estimated about $233,610 to raise a middle-income child from birth to 17. This tool scales that by income and region and inflation-adjusts it toward present-day dollars.
- Does it include college?
- No. The USDA figure covers birth through age 17 and explicitly excludes college tuition and expenses. Add those separately — a 529 savings projection can help estimate the college portion.
- Why is it only an estimate?
- The underlying data is from 2015 and the report was discontinued, so the present-day figure is inflation-adjusted rather than freshly measured. Costs also vary widely with childcare (often the biggest swing factor), housing market, and individual choices.
- Why does income tier change the cost so much?
- Higher-income families spend more on housing, childcare, and activities per child, so the USDA found total costs rising with income. The tiers reflect that pattern; the same child "costs more" in a higher-spending household.
- What is the biggest single expense?
- For most families, housing is the largest category, followed by childcare/education and food. Childcare in particular varies enormously by region and can dominate the early years, which is why regional and personal factors matter so much.
- Is this financial advice?
- No. It is an informational, inflation-adjusted estimate for planning. Build a budget around your specific costs for real decisions.